Washing machine basket



Oct. 16, 1956 J. B. MACGREGOR 2,766,602

WASHING MACHINE BASKET Filed Jan. 8, 1954 INVENTOR BY [g A TORNEY Unite rates WASHING MACHINE BASKET John B. Macgregor, San Diego, Calif. Application January 8, 1954, Serial No. 402,883

1 Claim. (Cl. 68-23) This invention relates to an improved basket for use in washing machines and more particularly to an improved basket for use in the washing machine of my prior U. S. Patent No. 2,552,197 and which will function more effectively for washing or cleaning garments or fabrics and for extracting the liquid therefrom.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a basket structure whereby lint and spots may be more effectively removed from fabrics and garments than is possible when utilizing a fabric or garment holding basket or receptacle having a fiat surface on the inner side of .the basket against which the fabrics or garments are pressed by centrifugal force.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an improved washing or cleaning and liquid extracting basket or receptacle capable of being much more readily cleaned and maintained in a sanitary condition and which is so constructed that garments and fabrics will not readily adhere to the outer retaining wall thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of the improved basket shown in an applied position;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the basket, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the basket or receptacle, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the improved washing machine basket in its entirety and comprising the invention is designated generally 5 and includes a flat, rigid disk-like bottom 6 providing a support for an outer annular wall, designated generally 7, and an inner annular wall, designated generally 8. The wall 7 is composed of a plurality of equally spaced rods or bars 9 having lower end portions 10 which are suitably secured in the bottom 6 and which may extend entirely or only partially therethrough. The rods or bars 9 rise perpendicularly from the bottom 6 and are connected at their upper ends by a ring member 11 which receives upper ends 12 of said bars or rods and which ends 12 may extend wholly or partially through the ring 11. The ring 11 cooperates with the bottom 6 for uniformly spacing the rods or bars 9 and which are preferably spaced apart a distance to provide a clearance of A of an inch between the adjacent rods or bars.

The inner annular wall 8 likewise includes a plurality of rods or bars 13, lower ends 14 of which are secured to the bottom 6 in the same manner as the lower rod ends 10 and upper ends 16 of which are secured to a small ring member 15, in the same manner as the rod ends 12 are secured to the ring member 11. As best illustrated in Figure 2, the rods 13 are preferably smaller ice in cross section than the rods 9 and are preferably spaced apart a greater distance.

A pair of angle members 17 are secured to the underside of the bottom 6 by suitable fastenings 18 and each includes a depending side forming a rib 19. The ribs 19 correspond to the ribs 53 of my prior Patent No. 2,552,197.

The ribs 19 engage channels 20 of a bar 21, corresponding to the bar 34 of my prior patent, and which is supported rotatably on a shaft 22 which is journalled on and supported by a pedestal 23, corresponding to the shaft 24 and pedestal 21 of my prior patent. The bar 21 is secured .to a cage or shield 24, corresponding to the shield 25 of my prior patent, and the basket 5 is supponted within the shield 24 so that an extensible nozzle section 25, corresponding to the nozzle section or tube 84 of the aforesaid patent, may be displaced downwardly into the space defined by the wall 8. The remainder of the structure of the washing machine may correspond to the mechanism as disclosed in my prior patent and the operation thereof is likewise .the same except as to the manner in which garments or fabrics, not shown, contained within the basket 5 between the walls 7 and 8, are treated.

With the present invention it will be readily apparent that when the extensible tube or nozzle section 25 is displaced downwardly into the space surrounded by the wall 8 and while the basket 5 is being revolved at a high speed, that a liquid including a detergent or soap may be discharged from the apertured lower end of the nozzle 25 and will pass outwardly by a centrifugal force in all directions through the spaces between the rods 13. As this central portion of the basket will contain no garments or fabrics, the washing or cleaning liquid will be equally dispersed from top to bottom of the basket so that garments or fabrics located adjacent the bottom 6 will be as thoroughly washed or cleaned as the garments or fabrics located adjacent the top of the basket. The rods or bars 9 defining the outer wall 7 will afford no flat smooth surface against which the articles being washed or cleaned may adhere and through which the cleaning liquid would be prevented from passing, so that all parts of the articles contained in the basket will be uniformly Washed or cleaned and so that all spots or lint will be effectively removed.

This likewise app-lies to the subsequent rinsing cycle during which all of the soap or detergent may be offectively removed from the garments or fabrics and likewise to the final liquid extracting cycle, during which the rinsing liquid is uniformly extracted from the articles.

It has been found that garments and fabrics will not readily cling or adhere to the bars 9 as such articles do adhere to a perforated surface such as the wall 47 of my prior patent, and the spaces between the bars 9 may likewise be much more readily cleaned of lint and dirt. The bars 13 defining the inner wall 8 merely function to prevent any parts of .the contents of the basket, constituting the articles being washed, from reaching the central portion of the basket in Which the nozzle 25 is disposed to afford a free space through which the flow of the cleansing or rinsing liquid toward the bottom 6 will not be obstructed. It will also be obvious that since the washing or cleaning, rinsing and extracting operations are accomplished more efiiciently, that the complete operation may be accomplished more rapidly.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A clothes supporting container for washing machines or the like comprising a solid substantially fiat bottom, an upright annular outer wall fixed to and rising from said Patented Oct. 16, 1956 bottom and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated elements of circular cross section defining circumferentially spaced elongated narrow openings or slots extending substantially from top to bottom of said outer wall, and an upright annular inner wall'fixed to and rising from said bottom and including a plurality of spaced upright elongated wall elements of circular cross section defining openings or slots therebetween extending to adjacent the ends of said inner wall and which are of uniform width from end to end thereof, said walls being concentrically disposed relative to one another, said inner wall combining with the central portion of the bottom to form an unoccupied inner chamber and being References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 77,440 Bange May S, 1868 116,333 Luther et al June 27, 1871 2,226,463 Gibbens Dec. 24, 1940 2,532,197 Macgregor May 8, 1951 

